Test device for oil wells



July 20, 1943 H. C. BEENE g-:T AL

TEsE DEVICE Eon on. wELLs Filed Sept. 3, 1940 /NVENTOPS rfyye f/a //a ay Patented July 20, 1943 oF-FICE TEST DEVICE FoRoIL` WELLS Harry C: Beene, Harry Marks, `andfllavid Mitchell, Los Angeles, Califf Application September 3, 1940, Serial'No. 355,246

1 claim. (C1. 16s-L11),

Our invention relates broadly to new and useful improvements in test equipment for oilwells and more particularly to a device for locating the point or points along a perforated well casing at which water or other impurities are entering the well.

An important object of our invention is to provide a test device of the above-mentioned character which may be easily and expeditiously used in a conventional oil well constructionr and. which `will permit the operator to ascertain. at which points the impurities are owing intothe well.

Another object of ourinvention is to provide a l testing device of the above-mentioned; character which is uniquely constructed of a relatively soit metal whereby the same may beeasily cut into pieces and removed from the well in the event l that itbecomes immovably lodged'within the casing and which includes lprovision for permitting the pump attached thereto to be removed upon the occurrence of the above-named contingency.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a test device for oil wells that is simple in construction to promote inexpensive manufacture thereof and that is efficient and eicacious in the i performance of its duties.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent during the course` of the following description.

In the drawing, forming a partk of this specification, and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout `the same, Y

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a test` device 'embodying our invention, l

Figure 2 is afragmentary longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is an end elevation of our device,

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken the line 5-5 of Fig-ure 2, and Y Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 2.

In the accompanying drawing, whereinwfor theY purpose ofillustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral I designates a section of` an `oil well casing adapted to receive our testing device. Our device is adapted to be lowered through the well casing tothe portion thereof extending through the oil bearing strata or to points in the casing where it is de-` sired to test for impurities" entering the casing through leaks or fractures therein.

Our testing device includes a middle pipe section I I of a length equal to the length of casing which itis desired to test; The opposite ends of the pipescrew-threadedly receive the couplings I2 and I3 and relatively short pipe sections It and I are connected to the couplings l2 and I3, respectively, in axial alignment with the section I I.. The free endsio'ffth pipes "Iiandlaresexe` teriorly-screw-threaded" and the pack-ing elements I and LTarelcarried thereby toeffectively seal the section of wellfcasingf to be'testedi` Theipacking elementsiare identicalv in their constructionl and are identicallyassociated with their respective pipe sections. Alidetailed description of but onewill, therefore, be given. Y

As hereinabove described the free ends ofA the short pipe sections are scre'wthreaded, which screwethreadedportion is connected toithe non- The abutting end` of nie tambin' of the same diameter asthe collarand pipe; however, from the lower end :thereof the thimble is out# wardly divergent, as at 22; which tapered 'portion terminates in` a cylindrical upper portion 23" of substantially greater diameter than the pipe. The thimble is internally screw-threaded in a manner whereby it may be threa'dedlyfrotated' about the.` pipe *and into abutting engagement with the collar.` When thus disposed the internal annular groove 24 of the thimble forming annu'- larA seats which opens throughwthe outer end thereofand receives the cup 25.

The lower'endiof the cup is beveledto properly seat against the lflared wall` of the groove` 24 which ilared wall terminates at its innerend' in an annular shoulder or seat 26 whichllies in a pla-ne extending atright angles to the axis ofthe pipe. The cup includes a metallic sleeve 21 which carriesa substantially larger sleeveV 28 of rubber, or the like. The internal diameter of the metallic sleeve 2'I is slightly larger than the screwthreadedlend of the pipe wherebythe-cup may be easily slidablymo-ved relative to the threaded portion. The rods 29 support andreinforce the rubber sleeve 28, a plurality of the-rods being lspaced circumferentially around thesleeve; 2.8 and each being received within aV longitudinalgroove 30- extending the full length ofthe sleeve.` VThe manner in which the rods are received by the grooves` 3l] positions the same substantially flush with.` the peripheral surface of thesleeve in a manner whereby thesleeve may be slidable along the inner surface of the casing IQ Vbut whereby the Aouter surface of` the `sleeve may have a sealed engagement with the casing. The lower ends of the rods are turned inwardly and extend through the rubber sleeve and into the metallic sleeve 21.

The upper ends of the rods are bent atl right angles and received within registering openings in the ring 3l loosely enclosing the upper ends of the metallic sleeve. 'I'he rubber sleeve 28 is of greater diameter than the thimble whereby insertion of the device into the casing will cause the rubber sleeve to have a snug fitting peripheral engagement with the casing.

Both of the packing elements IE and I1 are securely held in proper association with their respective pipe sections by the couplings 32 and 33. Threading of the coupling onto the ends of the pipe section will move the same into engagement with the metallic sleeves 21 to force the remote end thereof into pressed engagement with the annular seat 26 of the thimble to eiect a tight pressed engagement therebetween.

A plug 34 is fitted into the extending end of the coupling 33 to effectively prevent uid entering the casing below the packing element I'I from having access to the pipe sections II, I4 or I5. Diametrically opposed openings 35 in the pipe section I5 will, however, permit fluid entering between the packing elements I6 and l'I t0 have access into the internal bore of the pipe sections.

All of the screw-threaded connections joining the respective elements are right hand with the exception of the portion of the coupling 32 which extends beyond the pipe section I4. .This extending portion of the coupling is provided with a left hand female thread which is adapted to receive the threaded male connection of a pump.

In operation, a section of pipe II of a length suitable to the particular characteristics of the casing to be tested is fitted to the couplings I2 and I3. The entire device as a unit is then connected to a pump if the well is a pumping well or a well which has been placed on the pumps. As hereinbefore described, the pump is connected to the coupling 32 and suitable pipe line connected to the pump for lowering the device into the Well casing. The peripheral surface of the cups 25 will slidably engage the inner surfaceof the casing and the inherently resilient and formative nature of the rubber sleeve will permit the same to readily accommodate itself to the casing. These particular and unique characteristics of the sleeve will also cause the same to have a sealed but sliding Contact with the casing.

The device is lowered as far as the section of the casing to be tested at which point it is temporarily suspended until the test can be made. Obviously, the section of the casing extending between the packing elements I6 and I'l will be isolated from the remaining sections of the casing by the sealed engagement of the sleeves 28 of the packing elements therewith and fluid flowing through the casing may have access into the internal bore of the pipe sections through the inlet ports 35. The plug 34 will prevent such fluid from flowing out of the pipe sections and the pump disposed thereabove will force the iiuid to the surface where it may be examined or tested for impurities.

After the sample has been taken from a particular section of the casing the device may bev moved slightly longitudinally of the casing to obtain a sample from another section thereof. It may thus be seen that successive operations of this nature will permit the operator to test any selected portion or portions of the casing and to obtain accurate samples of the uid flowing through any particular section. Obviously, if the well to be tested is a flowing Well it will not be necessary to connect a pump with the coupling 32 inasmuch as the fluid which enters the pipe sections will iiow to the surface of its own accord.

It sometimes happens that the packing elements will freeze or otherwise become immovably lodged within the casing. Upon the occurrence of this contingency the pump may be readily disconnected from this device by reason of the left hand threads which connect the same thereto. It is preferred that all of the metallic parts of the device be formed of a relatively soft metal which may be drilled into essentially small pieces if it becomes necessary to cut the device loose. After the pump has been removed a drill is lowered through the casing and the testing device cut into pieces. The fragments of the device may then be removed or permitted to fall to the lowermost end of the casing, as desired. Generally speaking, however, the device may be removed from the casing in the same manner in which it was inserted. When the line to which it is attached is pulled upwardly the device will be pulled upwardly therewith and removed from the casing. The rods 23 which surround the sleeves will prevent the sleeves from being torn during the insertion or removal of the device into or from the casing and will serve to some extent as runners to facilitate this operation.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention, or scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

A test device for oil wells comprising a section of tubing having inlet ports therein intermediate its length, a thimble carried by the section adjacent each end thereof, each of the said thimbles having an annular seat lying in a plane extending transversely of the axis of the section and a iiared annular skirt portion extending beyond the annular seat and in circumferentially spaced relation with the section, metallic sleeves carried by the end portions of the tubular section extending from the thimbles, said sleeves extending into the thimbles and abuttingly engaging the annular seats, resilient essentially formative packing elements xedly carried by the sleeves and having tapered end portions adapted to snugly seat within the skirt portions of the thimbles, rings loosely fitting the portion of the sleeves extending beyond the packing elements, a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending rods arranged to surround the packing elements, the outer ends of the rods being securely attached to the said rings and the inner ends thereof being inturned to extend through the relatively soft packing elements and into openings in the said metallic sleeves, and collars screw threadedly carried by the portion of the tubing extending beyond the sleeves and abuttingly engaging the outer ends of the sleeves to securely hold all of the parts in mutually pressed relation.

HARRY C. BEENE. HARRY MARKS. DAVID L. MITCHELL. 

